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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26923405">They Should Fix the AC</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/melanoms/pseuds/melanoms'>melanoms</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>50 Kisses [17]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Doctor Strange (2016), Marvel Cinematic Universe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Insecure Stephen Strange, Surgical Residents</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 01:47:38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>964</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26923405</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/melanoms/pseuds/melanoms</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The AC in the hospital’s skill lab is broken. But you’re determined to hone your craft regardless of the heat. Stephen stops by to offer you a bit of unsolicited advice and ask you his one lingering question.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Stephen Strange/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>50 Kisses [17]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1671802</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>71</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>They Should Fix the AC</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Tumblr Kiss Prompt: #30 weak, sweaty kisses because it’s unbearably hot</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>With sweat rolling down your neck, you furrowed your brow to compose your focus. You bit your lip and steadied your hands. As you peeled the skin, Stephen plopped in a chair across from your workstation. </p><p></p><div class="">
  <p></p>
  <div class="">
    <p>“Shit!” You threw down your instruments.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>He plucked a grape from your bowl and shrugged.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“Your hands aren’t steady enough.”</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“Stephen!” you snipped. “What do you want?”</p>
  </div>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“How long have you been in here?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I don’t...uh, what time is…” You glanced at your wristwatch.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Four hours.” He threw the grape in his mouth. “You’ve been in here for four hours.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Well if you knew the answer, why did you ask?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I knew. But you didn’t.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Setting down your surgical tools, you threw your head back and wiped the sweat from your brow. Gentle beads started gathering around Stephen’s temples. You narrowed your eyes and threw on your glasses with the surgical loupes attached.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Positioning your fresh grape, you drew in a breath and steadied your hands.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I already peeled mine.” Stephen shrugged.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I know.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I peeled many, in fact.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I know.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I’m just saying, I could help you.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I don’t need your help, Stephen!”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You slammed your wrists to the edge of the table and glared at him. But your glasses shamelessly slid down the bridge of your nose, skin slick with a relentless film of sweat.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>With a groan, you threw them to the table and shook your head.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“They need to fix the air conditioning in here!”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Stephen leaned his head back with wide eyes. “Wow, your voice gets shrill when—”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Stephen Strange! Shut up with your sexist remarks and show me how to peel this fucking grape!”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>With a smirk, he pushed out his chair and stood up. Circling around to your side of the table, he examined your workstation and drew in a breath. Forearm grazing yours, he reached for your defiled grape and tossed it in the trash.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Thought you didn’t want my help?” He raised his eyebrows.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Are you here purely to torment me?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Yes, when I’m not working 80 hour weeks, studying for our boards, and, oh yeah, successfully peeling grapes, my entire life revolves around torturing you.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Don’t forget insulting Doctor Anderson.” You put your glasses on again and set another grape in front of you.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Stephen unconsciously inched closer to you. To study your process, of course.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I don't insult him,” he scoffed. “I explain how he’s wrong.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“He’s an attending.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“He’s an idiot.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Who’s also an attend—STEPHEN!”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He threw your grape in his mouth before you could even touch it with your forceps.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“‘Ur setup was bad.” He gulped it down. “You were just going to rip it to pieces.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“What do you want, Stephen? Because you’re not here to help me.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Sorry, do you want it back?” He pointed to his mouth.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Your eyelids fluttered in annoyance. Putting your hand on your waist, you popped out your hip and leaned on the table. You raised your eyebrows and sucked in a breath.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Just what did you do? Finally manage to procreate with one of the nurses?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I did not, no! I know how to, I haven’t been, no!”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Stephen, it’s hot. I’m cranky. And I’m ready to stab something that isn’t a piece of fruit. Just get to the fucking point.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You recomposed your set up and leaned over your latest victim in a line of horrifically mangled fruit. Steading your instruments over the grape, you made a small incision along the skin.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Well, I…” Stephen swallowed. “I wanted to know if you wanted to grab dinner.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I thought we were trying the new Chinese place for our study session tonight.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You gripped the edge of the peel with your forceps.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“No, not.” He closed his eyes and shook his head. “I was wondering if, you know.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You raised your gaze to him and pushed your glasses up your nose. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You don’t want Chinese?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Stephen smirked and set his fist on the table. “No, that’s fine. Chinese sounds great.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Okay, usual time?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Usual time.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>As you redirected your focus to your grape, Stephen pursed his lips and started walking out of the skills lab. You applied the utmost precision as you peeled the skin from the grape; your twelfth flawless procedure for the hour.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>With a grin, Stephen gripped his hand around the door handle. But your gazed bolted to him when he opened the door.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Stephen,” you panted.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He raised his eyebrows.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Did you just…” You narrowed your eyes and took off your glasses. “Did you just, you know...”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I, um…” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Breath caught in your throat, you dashed to him. Using his wrist for leverage, you spun Stephen around and wrapped your hands around the side of his face; dismissing the lingering effects of the heat upon his skin as yours clung to his.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Against your better judgment, you brought his lips to yours. He practically jerked away from you out of pure shock. But, a determined individual, your fingers trailed into his hair. Both of your strands were damp with sweat. Not that either of you minded.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Doctor Strange,” a judgmental voice echoed in the hallway.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Stephen yanked himself from you and threaded his fingers through his hair.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“You’re on my service tomorrow.” Dr. Anderson rolled his eyes. “If you’re willing to trade…”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He raised his eyebrows at you.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Just as you opened your mouth to accept the offer, Stephen shook his head.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“No, I’ll, I’ll be there.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“And your snappy remarks?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Will,” he swallowed, “will be left at home.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Alright then, see you at 6 for rounds.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>As Doctor Anderson strode down the hallway, Stephen turned around and bit his lip. He drew in a breath, eyes unsure of where they should linger.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“So Chinese?” he breathed.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Yeah, um, Chinese sounds great.”</p>
</div>
  </div></div>
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